Heaven
The Qur'an has much to say about the paradise of heaven, describing it in 60 of its 114 suras. As one might expect, it is a place of reward, beginning with the dubious reward of life that lasts foreverEternity in Heaven (44:56; 46:14; 4:122; 57:12; 13:35; 64:9; 9:22, 100), or at least so long as the heavens and the earth endure''Finite Eternity (11:108). The life to be lived is one of sumptuous luxury even to the point of decadence. The physical setting is described in idyllic terms, while the accommodations simply strain the imagination. Generally, the eternity of the righteous will be a life of blissBliss (68:34, 69:21), delightDelight (83:22), restful happinessRestful happiness (25:24, 88:8-9), securitySecurity (34:37, 44:55), serenitySerenity (83:24), and peacePeace (19:62, 56:25-26). There will be no vanity, rancor, fear, grief, toil, or wearinessAbsence of Evil (7:43, 49, 35:34, 15:47, 15:48, 52:23). The fortunate residents of heaven will have all they desireDesires fulfilled (25:16). Presumably there will be many pleasant pastimes and diversions, although only one source of amusement is mentioned: believers are invited to laugh at and even actively taunt those who are suffering eternal, inescapable, excruciating agonyHell humor (7:44, 83:34) in hell. =The Physical Setting= By far, the most common description of heaven is as a land of gardens, often overlooking rivers. These gardens are as broad as ''the heavens and the earth''Broad gardens (57:21). There are flowering meadowsMeadows (42:22), springsSprings (15:45, 83:27-28), fountainsFountains (55:50), and vineyardsVineyards (78:32). The trees in heaven are described in some detail: spreading branches, dark green foliageTrees (55:46-50, 62-66), and of course, shadeShade (4:57, 76:14) are mentioned frequently. Allah enjoys the occasional artistic flourish: the trees lack thornsThorns (56:28-30), and the weather is always niceWeather (76:13). The entirety of heaven is a gated communityGates (38:50, 39:73, 4:31). =Accommodations= Heavenly residents will live in mansionsMansions (25:10), lofty halls Halls (34:37, 39:20), and pleasant, blessed dwellingsDwellings (61:12, 9:72). They will wear clothing made of the finest green silkClothing (35:33, 76:12, 22:23), with gold and silk embroideryEmbroidery (44:53, 18:31, 76:21). Jewelry made of gold, silver and pearls will be in fashionJewelry (35:33, 18:31, 76:21, 22:23). In addition to the luxurious couches on which believers will recline as they take their meals, there will be thrones and high couches for them to sit onThrones (18:31, 83:35). =Dining= Believers will ''eat and drink in health''Health (52:19) and ''at ease''Ease (69:24). On the menu are drink and fruitGeneral menu (38:51, 37:42, 43:73, 44:53, 76:14) that are ''neither out of reach nor forbidden''Available, allowable (56:31-33, 69:23), meat and abundant food in generalAbundant food (19:62, 40:40, 52:22, 2:25, 55:52), and of course, ''a full cup''Full cup (78:34). Believers will walk on carpets and recline on raised, silk-lined, green-cushioned couchesCouches (15:47, 37:44, 88:13, 88:15-16, 52:20, 55:54, 55:76, 76:13, 83:23) with their neighbors, waited on by ''immortal youths''Youths (56:15-16, 34, 76:19), described also as ''menservants''Menservants. These youths will serve exotic beveragesExotic wine (83:25-26, 76:5-6) , including a magical wine that causes neither hangover nor alcoholismMagic wine (15:18-19, 37:45-47), and whatever fruit and meat Allah's favored ones desireEverything desirable (56:20-21), on ''trays of gold and in silver goblets from which believers can partake of all that souls desire and eyes find sweet''Everything desirable redux (43:71, 88:14, 76:15-16). Not only will there be magic wine to drink, but also magic water, magic milk, and magic honey Magic liguids (47:15). =Entertainment= There will be sexual companions, at least for the men. These companions are described variously as ''those of modest gaze''Modest gaze (38:52), ''like the jacynth and the coral-stone...close-guarded in pavilions''Guarded (55:56, 58, 72, 74), ''with lovely eyes, (pure) as they were hidden eggs (of the ostrich)''Hidden eggs (37:48-49), ''fair ones with wide, lovely eyes, like unto hidden pearls''Hidden pearls (56:15-16), ''voluptuous women''Voluptuous women (78:33), and ''pure companions Pure companions(3:15, 4:57). There is no mention whether these virgins will be available communally, but marrying them is allowedMarriage in heaven (44:54, 52:20), which would presumably render them off-limits to other men. ---- Citations ---- Category:Islam